supposed to do and needs to do and authorize an increase in the debt ceiling soon compare our debts and bills . that is the right way to do it. and the i think that is what will eventually happen, but i don't think that going off in another direction would really be all that talk -- all that helpful. >> hello, chairman bernanke. i am a second year in pp at the force cool and studying for a graduate certificate in science and technology. second question from the audience, does the debt ceiling of a practical purpose? could it be eliminated without much consequence? >> does what have? >> the debt ceiling. >> it does not really have. it has symbolic value i guess, but no other country, i believe, maybe one or two other, but no other countries in the world have this particular institution . to so everyone understands what is, the congress appropriates $100, tells the government to spend $100 on whenever and then it raises $80 in revenue through its tax code. now, the arithmetic here sort of says, you have to borrow $20. shephard -- the congress has to give a third rule. if the congress is a